Ford gained share by touting its self-reliance as its rivals filed government-backed bankruptcies. Builder Toll Brothers, which stopped buying land during the bubble years, is now scooping it up at a discount. New York Life, flush with cash and stable, no-nonsense insurance policies, boosted its advertising budget 24% to tout its financial strength, and swiftly blew past AIG, Hartford, and Lincoln National. “This is a crazy environment,” says its president, but “we’re built for times like these.”

The nature of a strong capitalist marketplace. Only the strong survive. Who ever said that weak companies should hobble along profitless? I only wish those mismanaged banks and other financial institutions had been able to battle it out.